Employee engagement has been a hot topic in recent years: how to boost employee motivation, increase job satisfaction, etc. One technique that has been gaining recognition is practicing gratitude at the workplace. However, is there more to it than saying thank you regularly to your colleagues and employees?
Gratitude is the act of appreciation and recognition. By practicing gratitude we learn to shift our focus to the good things in our lives (professional and private) and set our minds right for the day. Reminding ourselves and the people around us for the things we are grateful for contributes to wellbeing at work.
However, gratitude is more than just being thankful. We can give, feel or receive acknowledgments which all have positive effects on us. By receiving expressions of gratefulness, we feel appreciated and by expressing gratitude we get a boost of mood and motivation which increases employee wellbeing.
These positive emotions lead to higher job satisfaction, employee engagement and willingness to help others. Research shows that in an organizational culture where employees feel appreciated and recognized for their efforts, they are more willing to help their colleagues and go above and beyond for the company.
Recognition and showing thankfulness also need to leave room for addressing frustration points. Constructive feedback is a valuable tool for organizational success, it is important to turn frustration into ideas for improvement. In a people-oriented company culture, there should be room for both.
At RDB we combined these two ideas and created our own Thank You And Feedback cards. Through them, we can show our colleagues some love for work well done as well as give meaningful feedback in an empowering way.
A small sign of appreciation, which at the end of the day can put a big smile on our colleagues’ faces.
A significant gesture which leads to a positive impact, a feeling of success and an increase in happiness.
Building a culture of gratitude takes conscious effort but it is worth it. At RDB we use our cards to acknowledge each other’s efforts and also give feedback in a constructive manner to foster a healthy corporate culture.
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Practicing gratitude can boost employee morale, increase productivity and contribute to a people-oriented organizational culture. Read how we at RDB have integrated gratitude at the workplace.
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